The present invention relates to a core for a caddie bag and a caddie bag using the core. More particularly, the present invention relates to a core structure for a caddie bag that is improved in rigidity while preventing or limiting to the utmost, an increase in the weight, and to a caddie bag using that core structure.
According to the recent spread-out view in door-to-door delivery services, caddie bags have often been delivered to and from golf courses using the delivery systems. When players drive to the golf course, a plurality of caddie bags are loaded up in the trunk. Under these circumstances, caddie bags may be roughly handled by the delivery service, or left inside the trunk in which the temperature may exceed 60xc2x0 C. in summer and go under xe2x88x9210xc2x0 C. in winter, which will result in deformation and breaks of the caddie bags during transportation.
From the standpoint of preventing such deformation, a soft material that may suffer deformation can be used as a core structure of the caddie bag as long as the deformation can be restored. On the other hand, any rigid material will be unsuitable for the core structure if it does not recover once it is deformed. In view of protection of golf clubs, a core structure that permits no deformation is ideal. To satisfy these conditions, empirically 0.9 thick polypropylene has conventionally been used, as it is light in weight and exhibits good recovery from deformation.
When caddie bags suffer more deformation and breaks as described above, however, it is necessary to increase the rigidity of the core structure of the caddie bags. Ways to improve the rigidity of the caddie bags include: to use a thick core structure; to add reinforcements to the core structure; and to use a material of high modulus of elasticity as a raw material of the core.
More specifically, for a normal caddie bag having a diameter of 8.5 inches (i.e., a bottom diameter of 210 mm), a core structure with a size of 720 mm (height)xc3x97690 mm (circumference)xc3x970.9 mm (thickness) is needed, including a 30 mm seam allowance for overlapping portions.
When it is made of a sheet of polypropylene, the core structure weighs 407 g. When this core structure is actually sewn into a cylindrical form, and if it is compressed toward the central axis of the cylinder, a load by the compression when it is displaced by 20 mm is 0.66 kgf. It can be said that this compressive load value should be as large as possible to address the above problem of the caddie bag.
A caddie bag largely consists of a core structure, a surface material, and accessories including a belt. A normal caddie bag of a diameter of 8.5 inches (i.e., a bottom diameter of 210 mm) with the surface material and the accessories weighs approximately 3.0 kg, in which the weight of the core structure accounts for 13% of the total weight of the caddie bag. A so-called lightweight caddie bag weighs about 2.0 kg including its surface material and the accessories, where the core structure comprises 20% of the total weight.
If a thick core structure is used or reinforcements are added to the core as described above in order to improve the rigidity of the caddie bag, the weight of the core naturally increases, which will result in increased weight of the entire caddie bag.
If a material of high modulus of elasticity is used as a raw material of the core, it will be difficult to roll the material as well as to machine-stitch it into a cylindrical form, thus degrading its workability. Furthermore, such material of high modulus of elasticity will increase unit price.
Accordingly, a main object of the present invention is to provide a caddie bag free from deformation and breaks, by considering a core structure that is improved in rigidity without increasing its weight and by considering the structure of the core.
One aspect of the present invention is directed to a core structure for a caddie bag, which includes a PCCP (Pseudo-Cylindrical Concave Polyhedral) structure. The core structure according to embodiments of the present invention can be constructed entirely or partially of the PCCP structure, with a smooth second material without the PCCP structure superposed on either one or both of the outer surface and the inner surface of the core structure.
Another aspect of the present invention is directed to a core structure of a caddie bag, which includes a plurality of arc portions having the PCCP structure, and a hinge portion without the PCCP structure for connecting the plurality of arc portions together. The hinge portion is bent to shape the core structure into a cylindrical form. A smooth, second core structure without the PCCP structure can be superposed on either one or both of the outer and the inner surfaces of the core structure.
Yet another aspect of the present invention is directed to a caddie bag that has a core structure configured to have the PCCP structure. According to a more preferred embodiment, the caddie bag is formed into a cylindrical form, with one end having an opening provided with a collar, and the other end closed by a bottom member, and the collar and the bottom member are connected to each other by a frame member.
The core structure of the caddie bag is fabricated entirely or partially of the PCCP structure. The core structure includes a plurality of arc portions having the PCCP structure, and a hinge portion without the PCCP structure that connects the plurality of arc portions together. The hinge portion is bent to shape the core into a cylindrical form. The frame member is detachable, and made, for example, of a pipe frame, with a portion formed into a handle.